Wednesday, 28 August 2013

What's Up Wednesday: Ready. Set. Write! #11...or #12

I didn't post last week so I guess this is my RSW week 11 and 12 update...and it's going to be short because I'm exhausted right now. Summer fatigue? Depression? Too much Coke Zero in my system? It couldn't possibly be the last one, right? RIGHT?!

Onwards...

What I'm Reading:
1. SISTER ASSASSIN by Kiersten White--I really got into it. I like not-entirely-nice characters and I think Fia falls somewhere along that spectrum.

2. KEEP HOLDING ON by Susane Colosanti--this was a little heavy handed re: Bullying Is Bad (and the last page or thereabouts sounded like the author preaching to readers) but it was a quick read and decent enough.

3. SIEGE AND STORM by Leigh Bardugo--oh, middle books. You are so slow and strangely paced, yet you are so vital to the last book's existence. Not that I'm saying S&S wasn't great, but it was definitely slow. THe ending picked up, though. And worryingly, I'm still crushing on the Darkling...

4. POP PRINCESS by Rachel Cohn--an oldie and a goodie, I'm re-reading this for the billionth time. It's still just as great, and I'm finding myself getting caught up in examining the voice in the story--Rachel Cohn is an absolute voice master. Definitely check out one of her books if that's an area that gives you trouble.

What I'm Writing:
My 500-words-a-day goal has been suffering a bit because I've had days when I just haven't managed to find the time or when I've been too tired to even think about it or lazing around doing nothing just seemed like way more fun. I did, however, get down a rough outline from where I was two weeks ago to the end of the story, and yesterday I finished off a scene that's waaaay too long and had sucked me in completely. Hopefully I'll be back on track soon...or I might take a couple of weeks off because I really. am. exhausted.

Have we really come to the end of RSW? Say it isn't so! I guess summer is coming to an end (although England always seems to get great weather in September when school starts up again). To recap, my goals at the beginning were:

Finish revisions on my MS FATE AND OTHER GAMES,

Start querying.

Make good progress on my rewrite.

Snaps for me because I've done all those things! I think I did a couple of rounds of revisions before I started querying, and I've had a few requests and a few rejections so far. As for the rewrite, it's coming along. Slowly, but at least it's coming. I guess I've been experimenting with my drafting process this time around, with the whole not-watching-my-word-count thing, and I'm also writing knowing that once this draft is done I can start the real work and revise! I love revising so much more than drafting.

This summer has been really inspiring; it's been so awesome seeing everyone's progress and cheering people on :) Confetti explosion for the brilliant minds behind this: Alison, Elodie, Katy, Erin, and Jaime. Next summer, ladies? :)

What Inspires Me Right Now:

A year behind everyone else but I don't care:

(UGH all these playback restrictions are pissing me off but I'm too lazy to go find another video...you get the idea, though.)

What Else I've Been Up To:

Got a tattoo (from HOLD STILL by Nina LaCour):

Ate my first scone:

Also dyed my hair, spent some time in McDonald's, one BFF turned 21, I learned that late night FaceTime is the best, and Game of Thrones is my New Thing. WINTER IS COMING!

Scones... Yum. And I love your new tattoo! Very classy and cool and inspirational. Best of luck getting back on track with your 500 words a day goal. That's mine as well, and though I've had a few slips, I've tried very hard to stick with it all summer. Thank goodness for Ready.Set.Write and all of you keeping me accountable. And enjoy all those books you're reading.. :-)

HOLD STILL is on my TBR-shelf (and has been for years), and I am pulling it off now and putting it in my pile to read b/c I've heard so many awesome things about it (which is why I got it in the first place).

Wait, you're in the UK and you'd never had a scone? It's the essential British person cliché here that it's, like, a national food. Are you telling me all of my movies lie? ;) Good luck getting back into the writing swing of things. It seems, though, that the summer has been pretty productive for you. Congrats! (Also, love the tattoo!)

Mmm... scones! You can get close to a scone in the US by making biscuits (as in the US-style biscuit) and putting butter and jam in the middle. Not exactly the same though. The big question is: how do you pronounce "scone"? My family always pronounced the word with a short "o", though I know many Brits use a long "o". My Mum's from N. Ireland, and maybe that's where she (and subsequently we) got that pronunciation from? I don't know.

I was interested to see your take on S&S. Other reviewers have said it's better than the first, which intrigues me because I was a little underwhelmed with book 1.

I'm totally Team Sturmhond now. ;-) You've been kicking your WIP's butt, so a bit of time off is probably much deserved. And I have to say, I love the tattoo! If I was brave enough (had enough of a pain tolerance), I'd get one too. And such an inspiring set of words to get. I still think it's hilarious that you only just tried your first scone. (I pronounce it "SCAWN". :P) Do you feel legit Brit now? Haha! Hope you have a great week, Rebecca! :-)